Messer's Hohman started and Lohman commented about the Section 8 housing program.
> >Affordable housing should represent a component of > >virtually every commercial development effort in the City where public funds > >are committed. snip > With regard to Section 8, I wish that someone would take on this issue. A > greater and greater number of landlords opt out it. There should be an > effort to find ways to make Section 8 more appealing by providing > incentives and support to landlords who accept it. And nothing of what I > just said says that landlords should have to tolerate bad tenants. What > are the kinks in Section 8 that can be worked out? Who's the expert on this? This is not a Minneapolis specific issue, but a very large portion of Minneapolis rental housing is involved with the section 8 program. What would make Section 8 more appealing? Section 8 has made some worthy improvements in the past 4-5 years. Still not enough. Less paperwork as always. I know it sounds like a throwaway line, but it's the most common response from landlords who get fed up and quit. Inspection of unit should be done before agreements are made with Section 8. Currently you show, screen, agree, in writing, to rent with someone who likes the apartment. Not so fast. Section 8 does an inspection and can order $thousands of dollars of work. Guess what? You have to do it. Doesn't matter if the apartment is more then reasonably ready. Doesn't matter if your annual inspection was passed two days ago. You have to do the work. Period. Secton 8 rental contract is still onerous and one sided. It takes away landlord options to deal with rule and lease violators. Don't listen when an advocate tells you " you can use your own lease if you want". It's BS. Email me off line, I'll make an appointment with you and show you a blank Section 8 lease or HAP Contract. Section 8 and accompaning fed-state-local-non-profit agencies to make you keep bad tenants. They do this by deciding what a bad tenant is, and backing it up with taxpayer financed legal dollars. The experts are the landlords. Listen to them, incorporate their concerns. I'll repeat as I started. It's much better now then in the past. Oh, and BTW. More landlords are particapating then one year ago (fact). That's because the vacancy rate has gone back up the affordable housing crisis is over(opinion). Craig Miller Northside Landlord Currently providing over 13% of my space to Section 8 tenants. [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
